Nearly two months ago, revered Nigerian-American photographer, Chi Modu was in Lagos for an exhibition dubbed, UNCATEGORIZED.
Chi is known and praised for his depiction of earlier hip-hop acts in the days when the culture was dismissed by conservatives and regarded a spring of violence. Chi debunked the negative stereotypes around hip-hop and re-told the stories of rappers like 2Pac, Biggie, Nas, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube through compelling photos that saw through their rhymes, frowns or eyes.
The UNCATEGORIZED exhibition saw Chi display some of his iconic photographs to select Nigerian art enthusiasts who also enjoyed backstories from his exhilarating journey.
Although the exhibition was a private one, a short film that captures moments from the gathering has just been released by Melanin Unscripted; a creative media platform run by Nigerian-American documentarian, Amarachi Nwosu.
In this film, Chi Modu reflects on his dual upbringing and how it has both led to his homecoming exhibition in Nigeria and allowed him to bridge two cultures. “Growing up in both worlds; growing in America and being Nigerian, it gives you a different perspective. When you’re young, you want to assimilate to the culture where you’re living. But as you get older, you start to appreciate the fact that you have both worlds.”
Hit play below.